


crybaby

by justasuperfan



Series: everything i didn’t say [5]
Category: The Umbrella Academy (Comics), The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Allison is trying okay, Ben Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Diego Hargreeves is Bad at Feelings, Everyone Needs A Hug, Gen, Good Sibling Vanya Hargreeves, Hurt/Comfort, Klaus Hargreeves Deserves Better, Luther Hargreeves Being an Asshole, No Incest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-23
Updated: 2020-07-23
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:14:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25448206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justasuperfan/pseuds/justasuperfan
Summary: in which the hargreeves need comfort after hard training—whether they want to admit it or not
Relationships: Allison Hargreeves & Vanya Hargreeves, Ben Hargreeves & Vanya Hargreeves, Diego Hargreeves & Vanya Hargreeves, Klaus Hargreeves & Vanya Hargreeves, Luther Hargreeves & Vanya Hargreeves, Number Five | The Boy & Ben Hargreeves & Vanya Hargreeves, Number Five | The Boy & Vanya Hargreeves
Series: everything i didn’t say [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1841560
Comments: 6
Kudos: 234





	crybaby

**Luther**

Luther would never admit that Dad had pushed him too far. Not after his arms shook, not after he was sweating buckets, not after he was moments away from passing out. His dad knew best, and he knew how to train them to take down the bad guys. Luther would always listen to him, as long as he had a purpose. He never enjoyed pushing his powers to the limit, but he knew it would help in the long run.

So when he was staggering back to his room after a day filled with picking up and throwing the heaviest weights Dad owned, he still refused to admit that he’d been pushed too far. After all, he was Number One. He should be able to walk it off just like the rest of them always did. Still, he found himself collapsing on his bed the second he got in reach. His muscles ached. His forehead pounded, and he was pretty sure his heart had fled to his stomach. It was like he’d gotten run over by a train. 

“Luther?” A timid voice came from the doorway. He covered his eyes with a tired arm.

He groaned, wishing he could slam the door from the comfort of his bed. “Go away!”

“It’s just Vanya. I brought snacks?” She phrased it as more of a question than a phrase.

As much as he hated to, he let her come in. He sat up on his bed, muscles groaning in protest, and let his ordinary sister sit next to him. She was carrying a tray of donuts from Griddy’s. He fixed her with a stern gaze. “Where did you get these?”

She shrugged, shifting uncomfortably. “Mom got them for me. I knew today would be hard training and I just thought…”

“You thought what? That a few sweets could make us like you? You’re not like us, Number Seven, and you never will be.”

Normally, that would’ve been enough to shut his sister up until she skittered from the room like a mouse. Instead, she met his eyes. “I just want to make sure you’re okay.” She held out the tray. “Take one.”

He followed her orders, mainly because her eyes were so stern he was afraid that his sister would beat him up even without powers. But what was he thinking? Her arms were twigs, and his muscles were bigger than her whole head. Still, he didn’t mind a little treat. She stood up to leave a minute later. He really should’ve thanked her. He guessed she was just trying to help.

So just as she reached the doorway, Luther spoke up. “Hey, Vanya?”

She stopped and turned towards him, waiting. He sighed. He had to do it now. “Thanks.”

Vanya smiled. “No problem.” Then she was gone.

**Diego**

Diego never thought he would be so sick of knives. His entire life, his power, was based on them. Yet, after Dad’s stupid training, he was left with too many cuts to count and indents in his hands from the intricate designs. His arms were noodles. All he really wanted to do was fall straight asleep, but he knew if he was caught sleeping before the day was over, the punishments would be worse than forcing himself through it.

He almost fell right on the floor several times on the way back, but he finally made it to his desk chair and laid his head on the table. God, why was his dad so harsh on them? Shouldn’t he be, oh I don’t know, an actual parent and not a drill sergeant? At least Mom had always been there for him.

“Hey, Diego. I have donuts.” Vanya. He’d know that voice anywhere. He actually did like her. She always tried to help. She couldn’t help it if she wasn’t special.

“Th-thanks.” He sat up and Vanya set a tray in front of him. He felt his mouth watering, and he almost forgot about the cuts in his hands from when he’d messed up the throws. He picked out his favorite, a plain chocolate glazed donut, and began eating it gratefully.

“Hard training?”

Diego nodded. He didn’t want to be laughed at again for his voice that couldn’t seem to go as fast as his brain. But of all people, would Vanya really be the one to laugh at him? “Sorry about that.” She muttered, her bangs covering her eyes as she lowered her head.

“‘s not y-your f-f-fault.” His stutter always got worse after bad training. 

“Hey, you’re getting better.” His sister smiled. “Has Mom been working with you?”

Somehow, if anyone else had said that, Diego knew he would be throwing punches in seconds. But whether it was because Vanya was the one saying it, her voice wasn’t mocking him, or he was way too tired to do anything but sit and eat, he found he felt proud. Someone had been paying attention.

“I’ve got to go. Hope you’re okay.” She whispered the last part as she turned and scrambled out of his room.

**Allison**

All Allison wanted when she fell asleep on her bed was for Luther to be combing through her hair, whispering encouragements. But this time, he had been training, too. Of course he was too tired to make her feel better. But she felt an absence where he normally sat after her training. They would sit on her bed while he braided her hair and they laughed until the sun disappeared. Or after Luther’s training, Allison would go to his room and bring tons of food for them to snack on together before their dad caught them. She remembered the one time where they’d been so close, their breaths syncing, itching to be closer…

And then Vanya had walked into the doorway. Allison felt her eyes snapping open to the sound of a light knock on her door. “Who is it?” Allison called, even though her voice was immensely hoarse and rough from using so many rumors.

“Vanya.” Her voice was almost as quiet as Allison’s.

Allison had always been friends with Luther, and Ben because he was friends with everyone, but Vanya had always been a bit of a mystery. No one ever asked her to play with them when they had free time. She always stayed by herself, reading or studying or playing the violin. Allison had snuck in her room a few times to talk about boys (which Vanya never seemed too interested in), or to read Vanya’s books. “Come in.”

Vanya swung the door open, and Vanya felt her mouth watering as she caught sight of a tray of donuts. Even if her throat felt raw, and her arms and legs were way too heavy, she sat up almost immediately. How had Vanya even been able to get to Griddy’s? Mom might have helped her, and she guessed Dad wouldn’t notice because he was busy training them. Nevertheless, Allison was just grateful to have something to eat after hours of harsh training.

Vanya stood just in front of Allison’s bed and held out the tray. Allison picked out one with pink icing and began eating hungrily as Vanya held out a cup of tea. “I...I know your throat hurts so I just thought…”

Allison took the hot tea as well, sighing happily after it warmed her strained throat. “Thanks, Van.”

Vanya smiled, her cheeks turning pink. “No problem.”

Before Allison could ask her to sit and talk for a while, her sister was gone.

**Klaus**

Unlike his siblings, Klaus didn’t train with their father, using his powers for hours on end until he was unable to stand. Instead, he was dragged to the cemetery, silently crying, and thrown into the mausoleum where the ghosts screamed and filled his ears. Even back in his room, he couldn’t shake the screams that rang in his ears, the tears that flowed down his face without him even realizing it. He saw their awful, twisted faces, reaching out for him. Klaus shuddered and rummaged in his underwear drawer until he found the cigarettes and lighters he’d stolen from the store a few weeks before.

There was a knock on his door as he lit the cigarette. As long as he had something to draw the ghosts away, he would be fine. Still, he couldn’t help from shaking like a leaf. They were always around. He blew out a puff of smoke that looked like it could take shape into a hazy face, a hand reaching for his face—

There it was again. Another knock, quieter this time. Klaus groaned internally and threw the cigarette on the ground, stamping it out and leaving his foor on top of it. “Come in.”

Instead of his father’s emotionless, cold face in the doorway, he saw Vanya’s. Concern was etched in her eyes as she made her way to his bed quickly, holding out a tray. “Are you okay?”

Klaus nodded. He knew he didn’t look okay. He likely had red and puffy eyes, and the tears still hadn’t stopped. He looked down to the tray. “What a delicacy, sister dear.” Even his jokes sounded shaky and halfhearted.

Vanya put the tray on his desk after Klaus took a jelly-filled donut, and sat next to him on the bed. “You want to talk about it?”

Klaus shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut, tears sliding onto his skin. He felt Vanya’s light touch on his back, and she began rubbing circles. He sank into her warm touch. She was real. She wasn’t screaming for him. He took a shuddering breath and set the donut on the bed. Before he knew what he was doing, his arms were wrapped around his sister and he pressed himself into her. He wouldn’t care if Luther or even Diego were sitting next to him, he would’ve done the exact same thing. All he needed was someone real. Someone to touch him and hold him and say it was okay. Anyone could be next to him, but of all people, he was glad it was Vanya.

“I have to go and get these to the others, but…” Vanya started, her voice just as shaky as Klaus’s. “I hope you’re okay. Should I get Mom?”

Klaus nodded. “Thanks. I needed that.”

Vanya gave him one last quick hug and then left as slowly as she could. Klaus finished his donut before Mom even got to his room. And then he hugged her until he felt the screams leaving his ears.

**Five**

Five never wanted to admit that he was hurt, or that training had been too hard. He refused to grab the railings on the way up to his room, or balance himself on the wall. He was fine. He was fine. If he could convince himself of that, he could convince everyone else. Even when his legs shook, his stomach churned, and he wouldn’t be able to teleport if his life depended on it. 

When he finally made it to his room, he still refused to show weakness. He sat at his desk and grabbed a notebook and pen, adding to his notes on time travel. He would do it sometime, he knew it. He would get away from this hellhole and bring his siblings with him. Their dad wouldn’t be able to train them until they collapsed. He wouldn’t be able to follow them to the future, where they would finabe free. He just had to figure out the right equation.

He heard the footsteps on the stairs and slid his notebook under his bed just as a knock sounded on the door. He stood and opened it, fixing his gaze sternly on whoever was on the other side, whether it was Dad or Pogo or whoever else might want to see him. But it was Vanya. He felt himself smiling. “Hey.”

“Hi, Five.” She held out the tray and he picked up a donut, welcoming her inside. “You don’t look as tired as the others.”

He almost smiled. Because he wasn’t tired, he wouldn’t be tired. And if he'd convinced Vanya of ghat, then his dad would believe he was strong enough to handle anything. But somehow, lying to Vanya didn’t seem right. He wouldn’t lie to the girl that had stayed up with him reading, or going over equations, or who ate peanut butter and marshmallow sandwiches with him even though he knew she hated them. “I’m exhausted.” To prove his point, he flopped back on the bed. She laughed and sat next to him.

“Was Klaus training with you? He looked more shaken up than tired.”

Five sat up, ignoring the nausea that rose in him. “No, he disappeared about an hour before and came back crying when we were done. I think Dad took him to the graveyard.”

Vanya’s mouth made an oh shape and she nodded. They all knew Klaus wasn’t trained like them. They all knew their dad didn’t think Klaus was good enough to fight. “Well, I should probably…” She nodded towards her tray, which had only one donut left on it. _Ben._ Five nodded. “Maybe the three of us can sleep in Ben’s room tonight?”

Five nodded and smiled. “Thank you.”

**Ben**

Ben’s stomach felt like it had been split open. Which, in a way, it had. He’d never enjoyed fighting like the rest of his siblings did. He hated his power. It tore him apart day by day and left him with memories and scars of blood soaking him, of killing and maiming so many people. So. Many. People. No amount of comforting words or encouragements would ever change that, and his siblings couldn’t seem to understand. He wanted to be treated like a normal person, not like a liability. He wanted to be normal.

He didn’t know what to do when he got in his room. Should he go to sleep, even though he could get in trouble? Or draw at his desk? Or just sit there with his thoughts, which never ended well? He’d rather just have something to take his mind off of everything. But the blood just couldn’t seem to wash itself away, no matter what he did. 

He was about to close the door, when Vanya appeared in front of him. “Hey, Ben.” She held out a donut and smiled gingerly. He took it, but he didn’t feel like smiling. 

“I’m sorry.”

Vanya’s smile faded. “For what?”

“For being a monster. I hate this power. And everyone always has to pay attention to me, like I’m in mourning. I just want to be normal.” He set the donut on his desk and turned his back on Vanya. He’d assumed she would just go away, but then he felt a hand on his shoulder. 

“You’re not a monster, Ben, and trust me, you don’t want to be normal.” 

“You would want to be if you had done what I have.” Ben replied, his shoulders sinking under an invisible weight.

“Hey, why don’t we draw another comic? I was thinking ‘The Unstoppable Vapor’ who can turn herself into smoke?” Vanya stepped further into his room. “Maybe Five and I could sleep in here so we can make it.”

There it was again. The comfort, that _everything will be okay_ tone. But this was Vanya. She wouldn’t do that on purpose. Maybe she really did just want to draw a comic. He didn’t want to turn her down if she was just trying to have a little fun. So, despite his gut feeling, he nodded. “Why not?”

They spent the rest of the night thinking up a backstory for the Unstoppable Vapor and drawing up different comic strips. Ben completely forgot that there was a monster living inside of him, and instead laughed with his siblings. Like any normal kid would do.

**Author's Note:**

> isn’t vanya just a great sibling? i really love the five/ben/vanya friendship so i included some of that in here. i guess i could’ve done different chapters, but they were all pretty short so i just decided to make one long work. comments and kudos are always appreciated!


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